Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Sesotho soundbites by Cllr Fako Tsotetsi and Afrikaans soundbite by Cllr Suzette Steyn. See attached video here.
The DA will escalate concerns about dirty water affecting residents of Qalabotjha and Villiers in Mafube to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), seeking an urgent investigation into sewage leaks, possible water contamination and reported shortages of essential water-treatment chemicals. The DA will also press the municipality to repair leaking pipelines, conduct water-quality tests and provide residents with clear information about the safety of their water supply.
During an oversight visit, we observed visible sewage leaks from pipelines carrying wastewater towards the treatment plant, with raw sewage flowing directly into the Vaal River. These observations raise serious concerns about possible contamination of a vital water source serving surrounding communities.
The situation is further aggravated by reports that the municipality repeatedly runs out of essential water-treatment chemicals. If these shortages prevent the treatment plant from operating effectively, residents could face additional risks to their health and safety. The municipality must urgently clarify the plant’s operational status and ensure that water supplied to households meets the required safety standards.
Through our public representatives, the DA has repeatedly engaged municipal officials about the observed leaks and the potential danger they pose to the people of Qalabotjha and Villiers. However, officials have reportedly responded that they are unaware of the leaks or have not seen them.
How can the municipality adequately protect residents when officials reportedly claim they are unaware of the problem, even when oversight visits show visible sewage leaks?
The DA is particularly concerned that sewage entering the Vaal River could compromise water quality at downstream water-intake points. Combined with reported shortages of essential treatment chemicals, this situation demands immediate investigation, comprehensive water-quality testing and decisive corrective action.
Access to safe drinking water is a basic human right. Residents of Qalabotjha and Villiers should not have to live with uncertainty about the safety of the water coming out of their taps. The municipality must protect public health, maintain essential infrastructure, and provide residents with accurate information about potential risks to their water supply.
The DA therefore calls on the Municipal Manager and relevant municipal officials to:
- Immediately inspect and repair the leaking sewage pipelines observed during the DA councillor’s oversight visit and prevent further sewage from entering the Vaal River.
- Conduct urgent, independent water-quality tests at relevant intake points and within the water
distribution system, and publicly communicate the results to affected communities.
- Ensure a consistent supply of essential water-treatment chemicals and confirm that the wastewater and drinking-water treatment processes are operating effectively.
- Provide residents with clear, regular updates on the source of the dirty water, the potential health risks, and the measures being implemented to resolve the problem.
- Investigate the circumstances surrounding the sewage leaks and reported chemical shortages, establish accountability where negligence or misconduct is proven, and implement measures to prevent a recurrence.
We will continue to demand answers, strengthen oversight and pursue every appropriate avenue to ensure that this matter receives the urgent attention it deserves. Only the DA is big enough to beat the ANC in the upcoming Local Government Elections.